Bleach: New Tales
by thejager
Summary: My fan-fiction tale set in the world of "Bleach" by Tite Kubo. Set long after the defeat of Aizen by Ichigo, and after years trapped in a malevolent stasis, Earth goes about its routine unknowing while the Shinigami protect them. Primarily OC, AU-ish
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1:**

**As it was is as it is**

"…and…and I was wearing a red dress, with some polka dots on them…it's my favorite dress …"

The young girl said joyfully as her voice pitched up.

"…Yes…yes…I see…but what's your name?...where were you from?..."

A middle aged man said grumpily interrupting her.

The young girl looked quizzically up to him, he seemed in a hurry, but not to leave, more to keep her talking…

"hmmm…..well…" She scratched her head as she thought "….hmmmm…Sa…Saa…SAYURI!...yep that's it! Sayuri…and I was wearing a red polka dot dress and was on my way to the movies with my Mom. We were going to see that movie ab-…"

She was interrupted again by the grumpy man…

"No…no…I mean…yes…yes… that is all fine and good. Look, we don't have a lot of time Sayuri. What's your SURname? You know…you're LAST or your FAMILY name?"

He emphasized it so she understood his intentions.

She looked quizzically at the older man again, what did he mean? _"We don't have a lot of time?"_ The old man had been so kind to her, she had woken up scared and alone in a field near a dirt road and he happened by just as she was beginning to cry. He heard her and gave her a little candy, and then they were on their way down the road to some special town. He had assured her all would be better once they got to that town.

"hmmm….noo…well..hmmmm…mmmmmm…no I can't think of it…i'm sorry..."

She replied back as she scratched the back of her head and murmured to herself a little.

"ugh…"

The man grunts, his head sinking slightly as they walked down the road.

"Are you sure Sayuri-chan?...can't you think just a bit harder...you really don't have a lot of time."

She started to scratch her head again to think. This WAS weird. Why COULDN'T she think of her own last name? Why was this so hard? Where was she? Where was her Mom? Where was her Dad? Who was this guy? Why did he look like he was straight out of some old Samurai movie? In fact, why did SHE look like she was in one?. She tugged a the little purple and white kimono she was wearing.

Sayuri started to panic, and she felt tears welling up in her eyes. Then she started to look around a bit frantically. The older man looked at her understandably, noticing these characteristics immediately. This wasn't the first time he had seen a new soul start to freak out a bit at what was going on to them, as their memory started to fade and their new reality began to set it. He stopped on the road and moved in front of her and knelt looking at her in her eyes before resting his hand on her shoulder lightly. He wasn't so gruff looking anymore.

"Hey...hey now…Sayuri, it's ok…it's ok…Like I said before, once we get to the town up ahead there will be people there to help you out. And I'll make sure to stay with you until then ok?…I really wish I could explain better, but I just can't…"

He paused for a moment and looked down to the ground then back up into her tearing eyes.

"See, I'm looking for someone too…"

His eyes and face lit up a bit…

"…I'm looking for my wife…I haven't seen her in so long...so I know what you are feeling right now…you feel helpless, right?"

She nodded slightly to him as she wiped away her tears.

"Yeah…well that is how I feel too, and the only way to not feel that way is to try to do something about it ok? ...which is why I am taking you to the special town…understand?"

She nodded silently to him.

"…See though, the only way for me to get help is by asking people like you about themselves in hopes that they maybe remember something about MY family… and my wife."

As finished he looked at her with sincere eyes she nodded pretty much understanding him, but he still was kind of confusing. She then rubbed her temples a bit and spoke.

"...well….like I said…I was in the car with my mom, wearing my pretty polka dot red dress on our way to see a movie….when…"

Her eyes widen, and her mouth opened. The older man looked on, puzzled for a moment, before realizing what she was beginning to remember: her mortal death.

"ww…we..we were driving…and…and then my Momma….my Momma…she looked over to me with her big pretty eyes which were all teary…and she hugged me tight…..and she…she yelled….and Momma never yelled/ She yelled...she said Sayuri!...SAYURI I LOVE YOU!"

The man squeezed her shoulder as she spoke to him, her tears coming back in full force as she stood there mouth hanging open as her sadness was heard clearly in her voice now. She cried to her self for a a few moments asthe old man squeezed her shoulder trying to console her. Then she gathered herself a little and spoke again.

"…and...and then I woke up back there where you found me in these weird clothes…but my Momma wasn't there… She was trying to save me from something, but now she's gone….where …where's my Momma mister?"

She cried softly to the man.

He looked on with sympathetic eyes, it really wasn't right for him to question her right now. Then he squeezed her shoulder tight, and pulled her close for a big hug, her tears wetting his shirt.

"I don't know…I don't know Sayuri…but it's ok…it's ok..."

He let her hug him until she was tired, and then he pulled away from her gently and looked into her eyes.

"Sayuri…I…I am so sorry… I don't know where she is…"

He tried to smile at her warmly as he stood up taking her little hand into his.

"Come on…let's just take this one step at a time and get to the town…maybe she is there…and at the very least, there will be people there who can help you…maybe even help you find her…"

He said that last part knowing it was all but a lie, as the chances of her finding her Mother at this point were practically zero, but that was not his duty to do, and besides, it was not going to help her to know that right now.

She was still tearing up as they began to walk on again, sniffling every now and then. The man stayed quiet, but did not let go of her small hand. After a few miles, the young girl stopped crying. He looked down to her and she then looked up to him.

"Hey…so what's YOUR name?"

The man smiled at her gracious request…and responded kindly.

"My name is Shin Goto…but you can call me Shin if you like"

He smiled and squeezed her a hand a bit.

She nodded her head to him and said almost joyfully in that childlike way of trying to act older than they are.

"Nice to meet you Shin…my name is Sayuri…Sayuri ...TAKAMORI!"

She jumped up and down happily as she said her last name.

"Takamori!...That's my last name!...I can't believe I finally remembered it…"

Shin's eyes widen at her outburst as he looked down to her surprised as they continued to walk. He then grinned, his eyes closing and his head bowing politely to her.

"Well..Nice to meet you Sayuri Takamori…"

It was quite a few steps along the road before he realized his own mission and duty again. She wasn't a Goto, he thought to himself and sighed slightly, though it shouldn't have bothered him so much, as in all the years of his family's searching they had yet to find even one female Goto family member.

They continued to walk for a few miles in relative silence, Sayuri's temperament much higher after she remembered her name. But still she remained quiet, as if with each step a memory from her mortal life faded away.

Passing a soft end in the road, Shin pointed down a small hill.

"Look…there it is. The only 'New Soul Town' in the Rukongai's Eastern 3rd District".

He said it with a slight smile, purposely forgetting to name the town as it would only perplex her even more.

She quirked her brow and looked down the hill, but just as fast as she was confused, she was happy as her thoughts of being reunited with her Mother came into her head, even though she was beginning to forget why she was so worried as to where she was in the first place. Still, she and Shin hurried their pace slightly as they descended the sloped road down to the town.

As they entered the town, Sayuri thought to herself.

_"This place looks old like some 'traditional' town from my school books or an old movie."_

Coming closer they saw many people hustling about, and quite a few VERY long lines of people of all sorts of ages who held bundles of paperwork in their hands or under their arms. At the heads of each line was a small desk where two black-robed people sat. One was talking with the person in line while the other was reading their paperwork and making notations on it. As Shin and Sayuri passed one of the lines, a black-robed older woman, looked over tiredly right at Sayuri. Sayuri looked down and away shyly, but as she did she noticed that the older black robed woman had a SWORD tucked into a white belt around her waist. Sayuri tightened her grip on Shin's hand and pressed herself closer to him as they went on.

Shin felt her tightening grip and noticed what she saw. He continued on, but said to her quickly and softly.

"Don't be afraid…those are good people…they're here to help…"

Sayuri nodded a bit as she looked back, even though she didn't entirely believe Shin as she though,

_"How could anyone carrying a sword be 'helpful' to me?"_

Shin seemed to be leading Sayuri somewhere specific, and not directly into one of these lines. They came to an old and weathered small bamboo building that had a small porch and where sitting in a swinging bench was a young and pretty woman who was looking out calmly towards the long lines of people. She was wearing those black robes with a white belt and in it was a red hilted sword. The woman looked at Shin as he and Sayuri approached from out of the crowded street. She seemed to recognize him and smiled as they came closer.

Sayuri stayed close to Shin as they walked up to the porch and stopped. Sayuri hid a bit behind Shin and peered around him to look at the woman. She had long braided black hair and on her lapel looked like a little silver "4".

Shin looked to her and smiled lightly nodding his head to her respectfully, his tone was casual and friendly.

"Hey, Mina-sama…I got a special one for ya here…she's looking for her Mother…I told her you could help her out…"

Then his expression changed as he motioned down to the girl, his eyes full of concern as he knew he was asking the black-robed woman for a favor.

Mina looked at him sternly for a moment, acknowledging his request and thinking to herself. Then a large smile came over her face as she rose from her seat and took a few steps forward and knelt on one knee in front of Sayuri. Sayuri was still shyly hiding a little, but she peered out from behind Shin with one eye.

"Hey there kid…no need to worry…my name's Mina Sakaguchi, 4th Seat of the 6th Court Guard Squad…and I run this little town, and my WHOLE job is to help out people just like you!"

She said warmly as she extended her hand to the little girl.

"Now why don't you come with me and we can talk about your Mom and maybe I can explain a bit of what's going on…make some more sense of this weird place…"

She smiled, her hand still outstretched to Sayuri…then leaning in a bit more she whispered playfully.

"…I know…it's like we're all in an old Samurai movie right?"

Shin nudged Sayuri a little bit, getting her to release his hand.

"Go ahead Sayuri…it's ok…she's here to help…and she's going to take good care of you…"

Sayuri looked up to Shin with sad eyes.

"W…wwait… you are leaving Shin-kun?... b…but.."

He interrupted her.

"I told you..I'm looking for my family too…I've got to try to find my wife right? Plus, this is a place for NEW souls…and I'm a pretty old one right?"

He smiled down to her as she nodded back a moment later in response.

He reached in his pocket and pulled out a couple more pieces of candy, which he kept out of habit for times just like this. He handed them to her, smiling.

"Here…take these…"

She took them tentatively and nodded to Shin. Then she looked right at Mina, who still had her hand outstretched and whose warm happy eyes and face awaited her. Sayuri popped a piece of candy in her mouth and then slowly moved from behind Shin and took Mina's hand.

Shin stepped aside as Sayuri moved to Mina. Who then opened her eyes and stood up holding Sayuri's hand.

"Come on, let's go sit on my swing and talk…"

As they moved towards the porch and swing, Shin looked at the little girl, remembering back to his first day in Soul Society. Even if he was older than she was when he arrived, he still remembered being just as confused and scared. They didn't have any 'New Soul Towns' when he got here. These towns were so much better for new souls, better than just blindly figuring it out like he had to. It was only a matter of luck (and family prerogative) that a Goto family member found him and explained what was going on.

Sayuri looked back sadly as they ascended the porch to the swinging bench. Shin raised his hand and waved to them both.

"I'll see you later Sayuri… You take care of yourself!"

He then looked to Mina who was looking right at him, nodding with respect and knowing he now owed her. She nodded back to him very slightly.

"Byeeee Shin!...I hope you find your wife!"

Sayuri said with a happy and thankful tone.

Shin waved once more and then moved off, making his way North, out of the town. As he did, two more black-robed shinigami from the 6th Division whom Shin knew, 'Michisaburo Tachikawa' and 'Asuya Tosa', came running up. They seemed to be on their way from the Seretei, probably to see Mina.

As they approached, Shin blurted out.

"What are you two in such a hurry for?"

Michisaburo kept on going, but Asuya slowed up and looked back, noticing Shin from a far off and knowing he should respond due to Shin's prominent relative.

Asuya backpedaled as he passed and spoke to Shin.

"Hi Shin-san. They just announced that the new Captain of the 8th Division is going to be named in a few days…we're on our way to relieve the 4th Seat so she can get back to the Seretei per the 6th Division Captain's orders. Now, I gotta run…Later Shin!"

He then spun back around and headed on his way.

"_A new 8__th__ Division Captain eh?...I guess my older brother has been busy."_

Shin thought to himself as he continued on his way North out of the town in search of any other new souls.

* * *

><p>This is my first try at fan-fiction. I am all for as much feedback as I can get, including critique, recommendations, and even suggestions for potential future plot devices, characters, or powers you think might be cool. All suggestions and thoughts are welcome! Ya never know what might inspire!<p>

Just PM me!

Aaron (thejager)

* * *

><p>PS. Edits in these stories may happen, as i try to fix mistakes of all kinds.<p>

* * *

><p>DISCLAIMER: The Bleach Universe is a creation of Tite Kubo and any character or plot is solely his property and not mine.<p>

All original characters and plots in this story are, however, my creation and mine and mine alone.

This disclaimer holds true for all following chapters.


	2. Chapter 2a

**CHAPTER 2a:**

**The 6****th ****Division: Rukongai Patrol**

Gonnosuke Kan stood on a step stool in front of a large full length mirror in the female dormitory locker room of the 6th Division barracks, his hands outstretched to both his sides. Two younger looking Shinigami girls attended to him as he stood silent trying not to move. Every few moments, a few young unseated Shinigami girls from the 6th Division would snicker from just outside the door as their crouched silhouette's could be seen behind the screen door. Gonnosuke was too old to be embarrassed, and even if he were to be blushing, his black skin helped to hide it.

"Sigh"

Then Gonnosuke spoke in a slightly playful yet gruff voice.

"Girls…"

They continued to prod and pull at his white Captain's coat, speaking in high voices only between themselves. Combinations of "ohhh…yeah yeah!" and "wait…wait…yeah!" seemed to be all that he could clearly comprehend as they spoke so quickly.

He spoke again, this time a little louder.

"GIRLS…"

They continued on, one girl was smiling and cheerfully adjusting Gonnosuke's collar of his sleeveless white Captain's coat, while the other girl continuously kept raising and lowering Gonnosuke's arms up and down trying to straighten the long sleeves of his black robes as they came through the openings in his coat so that they would rest and wrinkle just right when his arms would rest at his sides. Neither of them heard Gonnosuke.

"GIRLS!... MIKO! MINA!...ENOUGH!"

His voice came out forcefully with just a slight hint of frustration. He softly shrugged his shoulders to relieve his collar and arms from the girls' light grasp's and flopped his arms down to his sides, resting his left hand gently on his sword hilt before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath and exhaling it slowly.

He opened his eyes to see both girls stopped in mid-motion and mid-sentence. Upon seeing their Captain upset, they popped straight up and were standing next to each other at 'attention', both of their heads down. Then, almost in unison, both softly and a little sadly said.

"We are so sorry Captain Gonnosuke, sir…Our deepest apologies, we didn't mean to upset you."

Gonnosuke looked at them, his empathetic eyes peering to the top of their heads. Bringing his hand off his sword hilt, he waved at them with his left hand apologetically.

"No…no…no… I am not upset with you two…..Please…raise your heads."

They did so and were greeted with the warm and old eyes of their Captain.

"But don't you think I look good enough?...I mean...there's only so much you can do, right?"

He then leaned in close to Miko, whispering, so only she could hear.

"Plus, it's not like this new 8th Captain is anyone we don't already know right?"

He winked at her, knowing she knew all too well who the new 8th Captain was, before straightening up to look on both of them.

Miko looked quickly over to Mina hoping that she didn't hear, before looking back to the Captain.

"but…but… we just wanted you to look your best Captain…"

Miko said changing the subject.

"HAH HA HAH AH HAHAH! HAHAH HAH HA!"

Burst out loudly from a bench nearby echoing in the locker room, followed by a few loud snorts and foot stomps.

"You three are ridiculous. Mina I thought you were too old for playing dress up, and Miko….HA! Didn't your family give you enough dolls when you were younger?... HA HHAHAHAHHHAHA"

The two younger girls' razor sharp icy gazes quickly panned over at Okuni, their Lieutenant, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, yet had been seated watching from a wooden bench between a row of lockers the whole time, the girls only not noticing as they were too caught up in preparing the Captain.

"…W..well…at least MY family's name doesn't sound like a breakfast cereal...'Nishi-Beppu'..heh!"

Miko whispered under her breath, combining it with a rather obvious glare at Okuni.

The Lieutenant jumped to her feet quickly, her stance wide and her retort quick and punctuated as she pointed right at Miko.

"WHAT did you say 3rd Seat?... my name is OLD and VERRRY famous…I come from a LONG line of great warr-…"

"EEEENOUGH!"

Loudly rang out and easily obscured the rest of Okuni's response. Gonnosuke had had enough of this bickering. A moment passed of deafening silence, before he sighed lightly and spoke again, his face calm and with a caring smile he made eye contact with all three of them and spoke direct if yet still soft.

"Enough of your bickering you three…understand?"

Then turning in place he looked quickly over himself in the mirror, adjusting his sword in his white belt, before turning back around to face the three women.

"Well…I look great thanks to you two…"

Gonnosuke said bowing his head to his 3rd and 4th Seats with a smile which they could not help but smile back at. He stepped off the stepstool down, patting them each on their shoulders as he passed them moving towards his Lieutenant, Okuni. Both girls turned and watched as he did so.

"As for you Okuni…we are going to be late...and you know how long it takes to get to the 1st Division's Barracks…"

She nodded in understanding, allowing him to pass her before throwing a steely gaze back to Miko and Mina. She adjusted her sword in a huff to them and then rushed to catch up to her Captain and accompany him to the Captain's Meeting.


	3. Chapter 2b

**CHAPTER 2b:**

**The 3****rd**** Division: Gotei Intelligence**

"Yes…yes…come in, come in…"

A withered old female Shinigami entered the 3rd Division Captain's office pushing the sliding door to the side. Hunched over, she moved slowly, using her sword as a cane in her left hand. Not sliding the door closed as she entered, she silently moved just inside and to the right of the now open doorway. Slowly she then rested both her hands and her hunched weight on her upside-down sheathed sword as it rest on the ground in front of her. Her head hung down along with her eyes which, while open, were looking at the floor. Her long grey hair lazily fell down over her half-hidden face and a small silver pin with a "3" on it was barely noticeable on the collar of her black shinigami robes.

She made no sound and stood silent.

About 20ft in front of her, a long and wide dark wooden desk sat, two simple chairs on the near side, and one high backed black leather wheeled office chair on the other side faced away from the door towards the back wall. The wall was blanketed with different sized humming flat screen computer monitors, leaving almost no wall space uncovered from their glow. Each screen would switch from time to time and all had live video depicting all kinds of scenes from around the Seretei and the Rukongai playing on it. From wide-angle views of buildings and landscapes, to close-up shots of doorways and gates, to windows and desks, and even to dining halls and sleeping areas.

From behind the high backed black chair, a manila folder suddenly flipped up over the top of the high chair back, landing with a thud on the wooden desk amidst other similar manila folders, piles of white sheets of hand-written on paper, numbers of photos of varying sizes, all with multi-colored post-it notes dotting each of them. Pencils, pens, and various assortments of "Reishi" or "Soul" phones and their long tangled charger wires littered the surface as well. Under the clutter the remnants of an 'inbox' and 'outbox' seemed to poke out as if harkening to a time when the desk was more organized.

Then a raised and rather pointed man's voice spoke out to the silent woman from behind the chair.

"…THAT one's from an agent of ours on Earth…says she's been picking up some weird spiritual pressure recently…"

Then another folder with a loose sheet of paper hanging out of it erupted from behind the chair falling onto the desk with a loud WHAP!

"…and THAT one's from the 12th and has data from their Tokyo sensors…shows a gentle rise in spiritual pressure and activity over the last few months…especially in the vicinity of some mortal world amusement park or something…WHICH, with the other report, seems to confirm that this is probably no random phenomenon…DO remind me of this later, ok?"

Her head and eyes down, she did not respond and stood unmoved.

After an awkward silence his unseen voice rang out again.

"eh...You know Yasuko, the 3rd Division really needs some more Shinigami for our Earth patrol sweeps. Especially if those lazy lab rats in the 12th don't look closer at the sensor numbers, and get the results in a timely manner. It's pathetic that it took weeks for us to pick up on this rise... ugh...Remind me of that later too…ok?"

Her head and eyes down, she did not respond and stood unmoved.

After a few more silent moments, a heavy and loud "sigh…" came from behind the high backed chair.

"I know… I know…jeesh…stop badgering me, ok?"

The man's voice said louder and agitated.

Her head and eyes down, she did not respond and stood unmoved.

Then the leather chair spun quickly around in place, stopping abruptly while facing the door and the old woman. A few white feathers floated down back in forth in the air gliding down on to the desk. The 3rd Division Captain, Jun Shimabukuro, sat looking forward at his 3rd Seat and Acting-Lieutenant, Yasuko Otomo, his large and beautifully clean white wings tucked in behind him against the chair, and his matted slightly unkempt blonde hair laid lazily across his brow over his right eye. He rested his elbows on the desk with a loud, THUMP!, then he proceeded to rest his stubble-ridden chin on the top of his hands and look down his nose slightly at his older Acting-Lt.

"…You know Yasuko…you don't have to be so rude…I KNOW what time it is..."

Her head and eyes down, she did not respond and stood unmoved.

"Ugh…"

Jun retorted in a huff as he rose from his chair, pushing up and away from his desk with his hands. He continued to speak as he started to pat his black Shinigami robes all over, as if to make sure he had everything he needed. He then started to move towards the door, looking around his desk and on the back of his chair, looking everywhere in the room, except at his Acting-Lt.

"…You know Yasuko…I helped conduct her Captain's test…and she did just fine… so it's not like this is such a big deal…this all seems pretty straightforward, ya know?"

He said as he took an anxious look at the corner of the office, which was littered with stacks of books and a large brown leather lounge chair. Focusing a bit on the corner for a moment he looked confused. Then he shook his head at himself and walked towards the door again, his white wings still tucked in tightly behind his back extending down near his feet. As he moved, he looked around quizzically and then scratched his head before coming to a stop directly in front of the old woman, finally turning his head and resting his confused eyes on the much shorter Yasuko.

There she stood, eyes and head down, her left hand resting on her upturned sheathed sword like a cane, her fragile and wrinkled right hand outstretched to him. In it, she held his long white Captain's coat with its large wing holes modifications cut into the back of it.

He smiled pleasantly to her and shook his head briefly at himself as he look at her down-looking head, the confusion gone from his unshaven face. He then nodded to her and gently took the coat, putting it on quickly yet elegantly, stretching his long and beautiful angelic wings out through the holes until it fit correctly.

"…Thanks Yasuko-san. Now let's go…"

He said kindly to her as he walked out the open door, adjusting his coat and robes a few more times within his first few steps out of the office.

Her head and eyes down, she did not respond and stood unmoving and silent for a few moments.

Then she turned slowly in her spot and walked out the door closing it slowly behind her. Multiple locking noises and beeps were heard as the office suddenly went dark and silent, leaving only the slowly receding sound of the 'tap...tap…tap' of her sword/cane as it slowly moved down the outside corridor following her Captain's light footsteps.


	4. Chapter 2c

**CHAPTER 2c:**

**The 12****th**** Division: Gotei Science and Technology (Department of Shinigami Research and Development)**

"Sir…"

The middle aged 12th Division Lt., Rinshan Tachibana, stood a few feet behind his Captain who sat on a high wheeled metal stool in front of her drafting table. Silent, turned off computer screens and hastily scribbled on dry-erase boards littered the walls of the Captain's office where she sat. Multiple other drafting desks and tables were scattered haphazardly elsewhere throughout the room. On one cluttered desk sat at least 20 Hell Butterflies flapping silently, awaiting to be heard, seeming almost 'impatient' in the way they flapped their wings as they sat at rest awaiting to deliver their news. Odd, half-completed metal contraptions cluttered the rest of the large office, along with many rolled and unrolled blueprints and hand-crumpled papers stuck in whatever corner and nook they could be stuffed in. The Captain's long bright green hair flipped around her head in two pigtails tied with red ribbons as she leaned over the high table very close to its blueprint covered surface. Her yellow pencil clutching hand flew over the top of it quickly, sketching something out like mad. Her over sized white Captain's coat hung down over the edge of the high stool, only showing the smallest glimpse of her dangling little legs and white socked feet on the other side.

"Sir!"

The young captain of the 12th Division, Aya Omata, spun around on her stool a quarter turn, her long pigtailed green hair whipped around revealing only one of her icy staring eyes to Rinshan. After a short moment of her steely gaze, and after a very audible swallow and 'GULP' from Rinshan, she spun back in place and back to her work, drawing feverishly, as if trying to get just one more thing done.

Pulling out his antique timepiece from his lab coat pocket, Rinshan looked quickly at it after which he began to tap his foot. Then, straightening up and slicking back the two remaining tufts of hair brownish at the sides of his bald head, he summoned some courage to his voice and loudly, though still with a somewhat questioning tone, he said:

"Captain Omata, M'am! It's time to go…"

He paused briefly to take a breath in before continuing and hoping not to anger her with his next statement.

"…Y..you don't want to arrive later than your brother, do you?"

Her little hand then stopped abruptly, dropping the little yellow pencil on the table, the tiny sound of which sound seemed to echo like a thunderclap in Rinshan's ears.

Rinshan's eyes widened as he adjusted his glasses uncomfortably. Then slowly the high metal stool turned all the way around in place spinning the Captain to face her Lieutenant.

Rinshan's eyes squinted close as he awaited her raised voice and scolding.

After an agonizing few seconds, the Lt.'s eyes un-closed themselves slowly, one at a time, which revealed to him the peppy, kind, and wide grinning smile of his youthful Captain. In her hand she had a blueprint of something, extending it in her hand towards him so he could see it.

Then she spoke, her voice was high and childlike, it's tone bereft of malice or contempt.

"LOOK Rinshan-kun!…it's a robot puppy!"

She paused to let Rinshan see and take it from her, her wide smile beaming.

Rinshan's eyes widened and his head shook back and forth as his mouth agape in utter amazement.

_"THIS is what she was working on?...WHIS is what she was making me wait for her for?... and instead of her preparing for the Captains meeting?... and…and ROBOT PUPPIES!.. Really?...Puppies?.. ugh… and not to even mention that the cost to put these into production would be exorbitant… " _

He thought quite loud to himself.

As the Lieutenant looked over the blueprint, the Captain continued.

"…I thought we could make a bunch of these and let 'em loose all over the Rukongai and the Seretei… they'll have special sensors and cameras 'n stuff inside 'em…might be better than sending the 6th 'n 10th out all the time, right?...plus THEY'RE SOOOO CUTE!"

Then in an instant, and with a happy smile, she spun all the way around on her metal wheeled stool and pushed off the drafting table with her hands, sliding backwards on her wheeled stool across the office towards her Lieutenant, the metal wheels whizzing loudly as she went.

"I will get the other guys and start looking into it right away, sir…"

Rinshan was in the middle of responding softly to her when he had to then quickly jump out of the way as she and her wheeled stool zoomed past him towards the door. A few feet from the door she flicked a tiny little red button on the side of the stool, causing the stool to noisily skid to a sudden screeching halt after which it began to click and crank loudly...transforming.

With a youthful grin Aya held tight to the stool seat as it clicked and cranked up and down making her little body flop and jerk around in its black shinigami robes, awkwardly transforming from a high metal drafting table stool into a much shorter metal wheeled wheelchair.

CLIIICK! CLACK! CRINK! CROOOOOKKKK! CRIANK! CLANK!

"WOOOHOOO!"

The Captain playfully yelled as she bounced up and down and side to side like she was on a ride.

"_EVERY time…really?...ugh...it's fun EVERY time?"_

Rinshan thought to himself with a sigh.

As the clicking and clanking buzzed to a stop, the Captain maneuvered herself spinning one wheel, which slowly turned her to face her Lieutenant. There, she saw Rinshan folding and placing the new blueprint on top of his clipboard which had his wooden 12th Division Lt. badge attached to the back of.

Her childish smile then faded slightly as she slowly wheeled herself closer to Rinshan, looking specifically to his hip, trying to see under his long white lab coat.

"You locked up your zanpaktuo, right Rinshan-san?...You remember the rules."

Rinshan's eyes and shoulders slumped a bit. He knew very well the heavy and serious rules regarding his zanpaktuo being taken outside of the 12th Division's premises. He opened his arms and opened his lab coat and spun around in place, so she could see he did not have it on him.

"Of course, sir… see?"

Rinshan's tone was slightly sarcastic. He did not like being treated like a child, especially not BY one, even if she was his Captain.

"Good!"

She said with an upward inflection to her words as she spun in her wheelchair in place with a wide smile, obviously not catching any of Rinshan's sarcasm.

"Now let's get going Rinshan-kun!...I don't want my big brother to beat me to the show!"

She said as she boisterously pointed forward towards the door, staying in place waiting.

"Sigh"

Rinshan exhaled, and after tucking his clipboard inside his belt, he approached his Captain and placed his hands on her wheelchair's hand grips and pushed her forward out the door and down the darkened corridor.


	5. Chapter 2d

**CHAPTER 2d:**

**The 2****nd**** Division: Special Operations**

The breeze gently tossed a few loose ends of the tight bandages which entirely covered the 2nd Division Lt.'s thin body. Only a wide gray visor with small black slits for eye holes, and two small black holes at the ears remained uncovered. Over his bandages he wore a floor length, black cape held together at the chest by a small pin of blackened silver made to look like the insignia of the 2nd Division. The loose bandages and cape flapped in the wind, revealing a small black hilt tanto knife tucked into the inside of the black cape over his left breast.

The Lt. stood silently in the large grassy courtyard while twenty black 'ninja' clad Onmitsukido Executive Division/2nd Division members were sitting cross-legged in four rows of five each in front of him, their zanpaktuo's laid horizontally across their laps and their heads down with their eyes shut.

"Kyosuke!... let's go"

Cho Iwaza blurted out loudly as she erupted from the front door to 2nd Division Barracks, disrupting the quiet serenity of the courtyard. She made her way quickly down the steps of the barracks to the pathway surrounding the courtyard. A few 2nd Division Shinigami struggled to follow and keep up with her quick steps. One of the members held up a stack of papers while pointing to them, and the other ran in front of Cho trying, unsuccessfully, to use his back as a steady writing surface for the Captain. In Cho's hand was a pen, and she was blindly signing each of them, her exasperated face sighing with each new document.

Kyosuke Nukaga's head immediately flipped to look over to his Captain as she approached his training session. Cho was average in height but quite thin, her straight black bangs lay just above her eyes framing her pretty, but somewhat grizzled, face. Her long black thickly braided hair fell evenly between her shoulders, extending down past her waist. It flopped back and forth over her white sleeveless Captain's coat, which itself lay over her tight fitting short sleeve black Shinigami robes. Her lower legs were wrapped in white tape down to the white tabi shoes on her feet.

Kyosuke nodded in quick response to her and rushed to his customary position, just behind his Captain as she continued to sign paperwork. He kept a slight distance but his pace matched hers perfectly.

"Enough! Be gone you two..."

Cho said tossing the pen into the air behind her and motioning to the two Shinigami accompanying her, who immediately moved to the side and stopped in their place, bowing their heads low, with not even a 'yes sir' spoken to confirm her orders. Kyosuke then elegantly reached his mummy like arm out from under his cape, and snatched the pen in the air as it came close to him, then tucking it away in an inside pocket of his dark cape.

"You know, Kyosuke…this new Captain…she'd better be as good as Hirokatsu says. I mean, I can't stand those noble's getting handed ANYTHING they don't deserve."

Kyosuke then closed the distance between the two of them slightly. He nodded unseen to her and softly responded.

"Yes, sir."

Cho paused as they approached the large 2nd Division gate leading to the streets. She then stopped just short of it, as Kyosuke continued past her, who then reached out from under his long cape to grab the door handle and push open the door so she could go through, standing to the side as he did so.

She then waited for him to close the door and take up his normal position to the rear of her, before she then spoke to him again.

"Too bad 'bout the old 8th Captain though, he was a good one….Even at the end. Even still, a noble getting MORE power is not something I like seeing…"

She stood for a short while there in the shadow of the 2nd Division walls. Then speaking once again, she closed her eyes and turned to Kyosuke, her head hanging downward slightly to the ground, her voice pointed and with all seriousness.

"Create a five man squad to observe her actions for the next six months. I want regular updates of all her activities each week…understood?"

She finished raising her head to look up, directly into Kyosuke's empty black eye slits in his mask, her dark eyes emphasizing her orders.

Kyosuke nodded to her and responded, his voice always muffled some under the tight bandages around his mouth.

"Yes, sir…It will be formed and dispatched by nightfall…"

"Excellent."

Cho said as her eyes lessened their seriousness a bit. She took a short step closer to Kyosuke and patted him friendly, but firmly, on the shoulder. Then quickly she turned back forward and headed towards the 1st Division and the Captains meeting.

The twenty Shinigami seated in the grassy courtyard did not flinch from their seated positions as the gate from the 2nd Division courtyard to the Seretei streets banged shut, the afternoon breeze lightly lapping across their exposed skin. Under their dark attire the sun warmed them as they sat silently, eyes shut.


	6. Chapter 2e

**CHAPTER 2e:**

**The 11****th ****Division: Special Tactics (Melee Combat)**

"Well I think it's horseshit…"

Namigoro huffed as he walked down the streets of the Seretei with his Captain.

"HA...hahahahahah…You know you should have said 'bull'shit there...it would have been waaaay funnier…hah hah hhahaha !"

Blurts Taka Motochika, Captain of the 11th Division, as she saunters lazily down the Seretei road towards the 1st Division Barracks.

A puff of steam snorted out of the large Minotaur's nostrils in retort, as he followed his Captain scowling and huffing. His long, tufted bull's tail swayed back and forth behind him, poking through a small slit in his over sized black Shinigami robes. The large wide horns on his head pointed forward, one sharpened to a razor fine point, while the other was hacked off about half-way to its end. Around his neck hung a silver necklace, and on it was the seal of the 11th Division, denoting his rank as Lieutenant.

"Very funny…Captain"

Namigoro Tsuyouishi, sarcastically responded boastfully as they continued down the road.

After a few more steps, the Captain retorted again, this time even louder as she turned to laugh right in the face of her Lt.. Her hands on her hips and pointing right at his bull nose. Her grin was wide, sarcastic even, yet with more than just a touch of honesty in it, which made her words even worse for Namigoro to hear.

"Hah…hahahaha..hah! Though...I doubt it would be any funnier than you thinking you would be a good Captain!…Aaahah hhhahah hahah…hahahah!"

Namigoto stomped one his one his hoofs in the dirt and then snorted another bit of steam violently out from his nostrils in a huff. His brow grew tense and his eyes started to narrow and redden in color as he caught his Captain's cynical grin at him.

_"She's one to talk"_

Namigoro did well to think only to himself.

She was not quite as tall, obviously not as big as he was, but she was very tall compared to the other Captains and Shinigami and definitely more muscular than most of the other female Shinigami. Regardless, she was very attractive, though her personal grooming would hardly reflect that. She wore what at one point must have 'started' as a standard set of Shinigami black robes, though she had ripped them almost 'improperly' too high at their bottom hem, showing off her long strong legs her, left one depicting a twisting snake tattoo rising from just above her knee up and around leg all the way up to and under her very short robes. She had justified the short length by saying it was for better 'freedom of movement' when fighting, but everyone knew it was just and excuse to placate the Captain Commander's orders on Captain's uniforms. The top of her shinigami robes were just as improper, as they had torn off sleeves, and the torn and large opening at the chest revealed her large bosom, which was always dangerously and uncomfortably close to falling out. Over her black robes she wore a patched and poorly mended white Captain's coat, though it was FAR from white. It had threads of all kinds criss-crossing all parts of it keeping it together. It was frayed in many places, the sleeves were gone and the bottom was jagged and uneven on each side. Her very short messy reddish-brown hair lay brushed forward and cut jagged on her head. Her tan skin, while lean and strong, was riddled with scars. A large and particularly nasty one laid horizontally across her bare and ample chest, for all to see, so it seemed. Tucked in her white ragged belt, was a rather un-descript looking sword whose scabbard was chipped and battered.

Namigoro should have been used to her jokes and 'prodding', as SHE would put it while laughing. But she still knew just the right way to get to him when she wanted. He responded to her jest proudly, though he knew it was probably pointless.

"You KNOW I'd be good Captain, I'm way stronger than that tramp from the 8th…and that wuss from the 5th is a kido nerd… You KNOW I have the skills…and..I..."

She spun back around and started walking again, cutting him off by showing him her back. She then spoke in a dull and monotone voice.

"Ugh…You KNOW the requirements Namigoro…neither you or the 10th Lt. have achieved, OR are anywhere close to being competent with your Bankai…and you KNOW that is required for all Captains. Your endless complaining and yapping on and on about it is boring me…GET over it. You're ruining the only fun I am having on this pompous little trip…"

After a few awkward seconds of walking, she then stopped and turned her head slowly around, showing Namigoro just one cold eye. Then grinning devilishly again, she started tapping the right side of her forehead with her finger, the same side where he only had HALF a horn.

"Plus…you haven't even come CLOSE to beating me in a spar yet..."

She paused grinning fiendishly at her Lieutenant.

"You know…if you weren't so good at taking a beating…I'd question whether you were even fit to be my Lieutenant…HA!"

Taka then turned her grinning face forward again, tossing her hand up flippantly to him before she moved on again. Slowly, she started laughing softly, then slowly louder and louder, trying to speak between each outburst.

"Hah ha hah h hhaah h hahah… Plus WHY would Goto-sama want such an ugly guy running ANYTHING… You'd frighten off all the trainees before you could even get a chance to train them…HAHahahahah hhha h a hah... AND if they happened to wear RED… WATCH OUT!... We'd have ourselves stampede!"

"HAH AHaahah h hah hhahah …ahahhh hahahah!"

"Grrrrr…" Namigoro growled and murmured under his breath in his low voice as he huffed and snorted through his large nostrils again stomping forward following behind her. He shook his head at her 'jokes' all at his expense, as they seem to be the 'only fun' she is wanting to have.


	7. Chapter 2f

**CHAPTER 2f:**

**The 4****th**** Division: Medical**

**And**

**The 5****th ****Division: Special Tactics (Kido Support)**

"No…NO…NOOO… awww come on honey…just lie back down and rest….wait..WAIT…Aww.. Akito please!...You KNOW you aren't supposed to be up and out of bed…"

The 4th Division Captain spoke as calmly as he could while he and a few other 4th Division nurses tried to lightly restrain the 5th Division Captain, who was struggling to get out of her 4th Division Barracks bed.

"Look…it's a special occasion…Goto-sama didn't factor in special occasions…and neither did YOU Mamoru!... Now let me up…and... and Hitomi! Get me my haori!"

The beautiful and buxom Lieutenant of the 4th Div., Hitomi Sosen, nodded in compliance from the other side of the bed. She started to rise up from her kneeling position, but was quickly waived off by the 4th Div. Captain., Mamoru Mushanokouji. The 4th Div. Lt. sighed with an apologetic look at the 5th Div. Cpt., kneeling back down next to the bed.

"Ugh!...fine then…Masatane!...where are you? Get me my haori and get all of them off of me."

She barked out to her Lt., as she kept fighting with several nurses to get up.

Jo Masatane, Lt. of the 5th Div., sat slouched on the opposite side of the room in an uncomfortable chair where his long black hair draped over the chair's back. He looked bored while thumbing through some 2-3 year-old copies of the _Seretei Bulletin_ left there for visitors. He smiled as she called for him but not looking up from the _Bulletin_, and responded with a raised and sarcastic voice, heard easily over the ruckus.

"Sorry sir…and for the last time…you KNOW the Captain Commander's orders…You aren't to be out of bed until that baby is born… I can't very well go AGAINST the Cpt. Commander's wishes now can I?...So just relax sir… And don't worry, I'll look great standing there in line for you though…Want me to wear your Captain's haori?"

Jo grinned widely as he spoke over the top of the _Seretei Bulletin_, kicking up his long thin legs and feet onto the coffee table. He had said those last words knowing very well he was going to be in for it as she would undoubtedly not forget his tongue.

The 4th Div. Cpt., Mamoru, looked back, rolling his eyes at the 5th Div. Lt., attempting to give him a stern look, as the Lt. was NOT helping calm the situation.

"Grrrrrrr!… Masatane!"

"When I get out of here…grrr…You have NO idea what I am going to do to you!"

The 5th Div. Captain, mother to be, and wife to the 4th Div. Cpt., Akito Usa-Moushanokouji, yelled out, trailing off as she pushed away a few nurses as the struggled continued.

"stop…STOP…fine!...get off of me!...just stop!

She said as she was trying to calm down, holding her large nine-month pregnant belly, scooting herself back so she was sitting up against the backboard of the bed.

The 4th Div. Lt., Hitomi, quickly stood and gathered up some of the thrown-off pillows to place behind the 5th Div. Cpt.'s back and smiled at her as she stroked her arm lightly. She also pushed some of the 5th Div. Cpt.'s shoulder length red hair out of her face for her and slid it behind her ears, before then backing away to the waiting area where the 5th Div. Lt., Masatane, sat.

"Thank you Hitomi…"

The 5th Div. Cpt. lightly said to her as she sat back in the bed in a loud huff, resigned to her fate, as she was becoming aware she was not going to get her way. The 4th Div. Cpt., Mamoru, the moved closer to sit next to her, holding a plastic cup of water and a few small pills, which he passed to her. Then taking her hand in his.

"Here honey, please take these, they should help a bit…And, I brought you some fresh apricots too…I know how you like them"

She snatched up the pills and water, taking them with a sigh, giving her husband, the 4th Div. Cpt. a steely glare the whole time before tossing the plastic cup towards the 5th Div. Lt. seated nearby, missing him by several feet. The only response she got from him was a sarcastic wave of the hand from above and behind the _Seretei Bulletin_ he held in front of his face. She was not amused.

"Darling. Relax. Please."

"It's not like the news at the meeting is all that shocking or ultimately important…It's just a Captain appointment announcement…it isn't wartime orders or anything. I'm sure Jo-san will congratulate her appropriately, and I'll be certain to set up an appointment for the new Captain to come visit you so you can tell her personally...ok?"

The 4th Div. Cpt.'s words were sincere and logical, a quality which made him so endearing to her most of the time, but something Akito didn't really care for right now. It was her job to be at that meeting, and she did not like not forgoing her responsibilities, no matter how trivial.

"Look...Mamoru…if Goto-sama hadn't made that order, I'd be there. Regardless of you, your wishes, or your nurses…"

Her voice to her husband was straight to the point.

The 4th Div. Captain responded softly to her, but just as stern.

"That's pretty selfish, Akito…"

Akito glared back at him, surprised, as he continued.

"…Hirokatsu-sama…and me… and my nurses didn't make our decisions for forcing you to rest to PUNISH you in any way. We did it for the child, OUR child Akito..."

His eyes looked softly into hers, and he held her hand tightly. The pretty 4th Div. Lt. looked over silently from her seat near the 5th Div. Lt., who was peering over the top of the newspaper at the Captain-couple and soon-to-be parents.

Akito's eyes began to well up as she exhaled and squeezed his hand slightly, moving his and her hand over her belly to feel the unborn child inside.

"Oh, Mamoru…I know…I know…"

She said apologetically, her eyes wet with her tears.

The two of them felt her belly and smiled to one another.

The 5th Div. Lt., Jo, exhaled lightly and shook his head as he watched the two of them. Then, under his breath he said.

"Mood swings are a pain in the ass. I don't know how he can stay so calm with her…"

He then moved his eyes to look back at the old _Seretei Bulletin_ he was having a hard time finding interesting._  
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As he did, he caught the icy yet sad gaze of the 4th Div. Lt., Hitomi, who had obviously heard him. He looked a bit surprised then shrugged his shoulders at her.

"What?"

He said unapologetically, but a little quiet.

She shook her head at him, and began to sign something to him with her hands. Jo then began shaking his hands at her cutting her off.

"Hey..Hey…just stop…I don't know sign language beautiful…So I got no idea what you're saying..."

She sighed and shook her head at him. Eyebrows furrowed she pulled out a little notebook and pencil from her sleeve, and began to write feverishly.

That was when the 4th Div. Cpt.'s voice was heard loudly bouncing off the walls in the maternity room, startling Jo and the nearby nurses. Hitomi, noticing the startled 5th Div. Lt., stopped writing and looked over to the direction of her Captain.

"She said…LIEUTENANT...that you're being extremely rude...and to stop it...to which I'd have to agree…"

His eyes and head turned from his seated position next to his wife to stare from behind his eyeglasses right at Jo. Even from that distance, he had heard Jo clearly, and he had seen and read his own Lt.'s signing at Jo clearly too, all the while keeping his focus on his wife.

Jo gulped as his face went red, getting caught in his disrespect. He straightened up a bit in his chair, folding up the _Seretei Bulletin_ and placing it on the coffee table, arranging the others so they looked nice, trying his hardest not to look up at the face of the 4th Div. Cpt. or even worse, at the frosty stare of the 5th Div. Cpt. he was undoubtedly getting.

He looked out the nearest window trying to act like he could see the sun and therefore the time of day. He cleared his throat as respectfully as he could while he stood up from his seat.

"Umm..well…Sirs…M'am…I…I think it's about time to leave…Akito-Captain, Will you be joining us?"

Jo said weakly, his eyes trained at the far wall, away from any of the others in the room. His words had no confidence in them, and it was very obvious he felt guilty.

"No…Jo-san…I will not be attending. Please give my best to the new Captain, and set up an appointment for us to have lunch at her earliest convenience. And I'll keep my Captain's coat right here with me, LIEUTENANT. Thank you very much..."

The pregnant 5th Div. Captain said firmly but also eerily softly to him from her seated position.

"Of course sir"

Jo replied quickly, bowing low in his Cpt.'s direction. Before moving he also turned and bowed uncomfortably and apologetically to the 4th Div. Lt., Hitomi. He then moved to the door and stood, his head downward and hands clasped behind his back, as he waited on the 4th Div. Cpt.

"He IS right you know hun…my mood swings are getting pretty epic…And you really SHOULD be going."

Akito grinned at her husband, her voice only loud enough for him to hear.

"Ha!"

Mamoru blurted out.

"I wouldn't have them any other way my dear... and I know..."

He squeezed her hand lightly before bringing it up to his mouth to kiss it. Then smiling, he placed her hand on her belly while his rest on top of hers.

"I will not be very long…Hitomi here will stay with you just in case you need something...ok?"

She nodded with a smile to him as he pushed himself up off the bed, and as he made his way towards the door he snatched up his long white Captain's haori from where it hung with his zanpaktuo on the bedpost at the foot of Akito's maternity bed. Grabbing his zanpaktuo and sliding it in his belt, he then turned and smiled to his wife once more and nodded to Hitomi who had once again moved to his wife's bedside. Mamoru then slid his coat on putting his hands in the two large homemade outer pockets that sat just below his waist on each side.

Jo opened the door for the 4th Div. Cpt. and tried to steal a glance back to his own Captain just for the briefest moment, and caught her steely eyes trained right on him. Before he turned to follow the 4th Div. Cpt. out and onto the Captain's meeting, he thought he saw her eyes relax toward him for just a second. At least he hoped they did.


	8. Chapter 2g

**CHAPTER 2g:**

**The 9****th**** Division: Communications, Diplomacy, Arts and Culture**

A thin black wave of hell butterflies danced about, flying to a delightful upbeat melody that they themselves exuded. They weaved themselves around and about the brightly colored dressing room, which adjoined the 9th Division Captain's office.

"Stand still beautiful,

lest we have to start again.

You must look stunning."

The elaborately dressed 9th Division Captain, Sukeroku Omata, said softly to his Lt. whose white face paint he was touching up around the neck and ears, making sure the coating was even and perfect. He hummed to the hell butterflies' tune as they flitted about. He had personally trained several groupings of them to fly in harmonious patterns to various arrangements of music, despite his Lt.'s comments to him on the potential ramifications of misuse of Gotei property.

The Lt. did not respond to him and stood as still as she had done for the past three hours, though her eyes told a different story of losing patience with the Captain. He had already had her spend almost the entire previous night picking out what HE would wear to the Captains meeting, as well as 'helping' him to design his Kabuki face paint for the event, which basically amounted to three hours of her smiling and nodding as the Captain ended up doing exactly what he wanted regardless of her opinions and '_help_'. Then, she had been ordered to arrive at 7am to help him dress, only to find him having picked out an entire new set of clothes and face paint design. THEN, after four hours of fitting and painting him, he had decided that HER outfit was entirely _'Unacceptable'_, and must be changed to _'Better befit the character'_ of being his Lt. The Captains meeting was scheduled for 4pm, and they were fast approaching that hour, and as her Captain was not the type to rush anywhere, especially for special occasions, time was running out.

Dressed in full and elaborate geisha regalia, as were ALL the female members of the 9th Division, the beautiful dark-haired Lt., Ameterasu Shinotsuka, stood as Cpt. Sukeroku finished her makeup, hoping they could head out soon and be on time. The bright red color of her kimono draped perfectly over her shoulders and laid gently over her thin body. Only the slightest hint of the traditional black Shinigami robes peeked out from under the lowest layer of her beautiful ensemble. It was not normal practice for Shinigami to wear anything other than the traditional black Shinigami robes, but Sukeroku was more than pleased to wade through the vast amount of red tape needed to be allowed to move his 9th Division away from the standard Shinigami dress code.

The Captain's touch with the paintbrush was delicate and precise, almost soothing, at least that is what Ameterasu had thought hours earlier. Now, however, every touch from the paintbrush and his hands in her hair felt like nails scratching against a chalkboard. She had already made the mistake of sneezing once, which led to a full undressing and bath before starting over.

Still she stood, silent and unmoving, as the Captain would dab some paint then step away, folding his arms or bringing his hand to his chin and tilting his head to look at her. He would then walk around her, sometimes shaking his head, or sometimes his eyes would widen and his large smile would come out, which was accentuated a great deal by the white and red stripes in his Kabuki-style painted face.

After a few more agonizing minutes, and in a huff, the Captain then turned around and stood to her side as he looked at the two of them in the full length mirror. He tilted his hips, and turned to the side, grabbing and turning Ameterasu like a doll so he could see how they looked together from every angle.

"You look delightful!

There is no doubt about it.

I, however…ugh"

He said annoyed as he flipped his white captain's haori about. The fanciful Captain wore a long sleeved and beautifully kept white captain's haori over at least five different layers of beautiful silken, brightly colored, and elaborately decorated kimonos. With only two fingers, he lazily held out the top layer, his white Captain's haori, away from his under layers to show Ameterasu the beautiful uppermost kimono layer underneath: a striking, bright orange flowered one, which had a summer's setting sun theme.

"This white does nothing.

Should we Captains look a fool?

Tsk…why not orange?"

He said almost to himself, though he looked right at his beautiful Lt.

Ameterasu furrowed her brow as her Captain adjusted his haori and kimonos looking himself over in the mirror with scrutiny. She did not like where this seemed like it was heading. They did NOT have the time for him to change his mind again.

Sukeroku moved to another wall and began looking at a hanging rack of other multicolored kimonos which he had picked out earlier. All the while, he hummed to himself and in harmony with the hell butterflies which pranced to and fro about him. Their dainty dance almost seeming to encourage his behavior, the Lt. thought to herself.

As the Captain's back was turned and his attention was now upon only himself again, the beautiful Lt. reached into one of her large sleeve pockets and pulled out a small electronic tablet-like device she had hidden despite the Captain's insistence against her carry it. Tapping the screen a few times, she pulled up her calendar and checked the time. Sighing as softly as she could, she looked up to see the Captain tossing out more kimonos from inside the walk-in closet onto a nearby couch, as he continued to hum to himself along with the Butterflies song, entirely unaware of her.

"_We have to go. Now!" _

She thought to herself as she tapped the screen of the little device. A small window and keyboard popped up, and the Lt. typed in a few short messages to the other members of the 9th Division, making sure all the communications systems were up and running, as she had not been able to check in with them all day.

The Captain was still flinging out kimonos, and Ameterasu knew she had better do something soon if they were going to arrive on time. Placing the little device back in her pocket, she took out a small rice paper fan that was tucked into her colorful wide silken belt behind her small wooden 9th Division Lt.'s badge. Opening the fan quickly, revealing a splash of purple colored flowers, she flapped it near her face, wafting some air onto her painted face as she turned confidently, if not a little coyly, and strode toward the door.

"I am leaving Captain. It is rather ugly to be late, and you would not want your Lt. to be found ugly would you?"

Her soft voice surprised the Captain, who turned his head suddenly to her. His painted red and black eyebrows furrowed for an instant.

Seeing her leave, he hesitated fro a moment and then pranced quickly to catch up with her, stepping over several strewn kimonos, grabbing his zanpakatuo from a hanging peg as he went, and slipping it quickly into his colorful robes and belts. The black blur of hell butterflies followed in his wake.

"Ameterasu,

Ugly? Not on my account!

Alone you shan't be."

The Captain said almost lyrically to her. He caught up quickly and walked next to her as if it was HIS decision to leave when they did. Striding confidently with her, the Captain paraded himself and his beautiful Lt., Ameterasu, first before the bowing and observing 9th Division membership (which was organized to happen per the Lt.'s orders) as they exited their barracks, then many times later before the awestruck citizens and Shinigami onlookers as they made their way down the Seretei streets towards the Captains meeting. The fluttering and dancing hell butterflies flapped about them and provided a fanciful theme to accompany them along their route.


	9. Chapter 2h

**CHAPTER 2h:**

**The 10****th**** Division: Combat Operations**

Standing outside the 1st Division Barracks entrance, the tall and handsome 10th Division Captain, Kyo Saemonsaburou, stood arms crossed facing his Lt., who was leaning up against the building's wall.

The Captain's long dark hair was tied back in a long pony tail that draped down his back and swayed slightly in the light breeze. His long white captain's coat hung loosely over his standard black Shinigami robes, his zanpakatuo was tucked into his white obi belt, and a blue tassel hung from it's hilt. His voice was stern yet succinct, as if it was a discussion they had discussed many times before.

"Look…Your skills are undeniable Karasu-san, but as you have only JUST learned your Bankai...and even 'I' haven't seen it by the way... How could I even begin to give a recommendation for you to be a Captain?...Especially when you and I both know you have MUCH more to learn."

The Lieutenant of the 10th Division, Karasu Yakushikawa, shook his head and shrugged his shoulders as his Captain spoke, as he then shifted his weight, lazily leaning against the 1st Division Barracks, his arms also crossed. His long black untied-up hair hung across his brow, which he had to push out of his eyes from time to time as he listened and talked with his Captain.

"Look…"

He repeated his Captain's last statement on purpose.

"...I don't understand why knowing and being good at one's Bankai has anything to do with being a Captain...more than three quarters of what you teach me every day has NOTHING to do with my Bankai…"

"That is very true."

Kyo cut him off.

"...What makes a Captain is not ONLY their power…BUT, another great and important part of being a Captain is being a model of success for connecting with one's own soul, and thus power and control of one's zanpakatuo abilities do come in to pl…"

He was cut off by Karasu.

"But what does that have to do with LEADING other Shinigami?"

Captain Kyo shook his head a bit at his Lt.'s words, taking a deep breath in.

He paused and closed his eyes for a few moments before opening them once more, looking on to his Lt., who was looking away, shaking his head slightly back and forth in frustration as he leaned against the building.

"…Are you so eager to move on from my teachings Karasu-san?"

Kyo said bluntly yet looked somberly on to his talented young Lt.

Karasu looked back to him, unfolding his arms and sighed as he spoke. His eyes were full of determination and confidence, not pride.

"Of course not Captain…I only meant that I CAN do this…and I just thought that you believed in me too…"

Kyo looked into his Lt.'s eyes, and then smiled very lightly.

"...Indeed...I DO know you could do it…But having the ability to do something and being the best person for it are two different things…"

The Captain stepped forward to his Lt., and put his hand firmly on his Lt.'s shoulder.

"I need you with me and the 10th, the Gotei needs you in the 10th Karasu…"

He squeezed his shoulder, released, and stepped back not losing eye contact with his Lt. the whole time.

"You and I both know the 3rd Seat isn't ready to take over for you if you left…And we both know there is no one better in any other division for being my Lt., second in command of the Combat Operations Division (10th Div.) Sure, those 11th Division shini have the power but they don't have the smarts or the fortitude to LEAD anyone into battle…and the 1st Division has all the smarts in the world, but lack the strength. It takes a perfect combination of fighting skill and intellect to just be IN the 10th Division...let alone run it and lead it in the field effectively. The Gotei needs field generals in the 10th Division…and you have that in you…"

He paused to take a breath and briefly grin to his Lt.

"And well…Even if we could've changed the rules of eligibility this one time, for the 8th Division Captaincy, I still wouldn't have wanted you there. It quite simply would be a waste of your talents, sitting behind a desk waiting for others to call on your division to help support them…pshh! Trust me, you would go crazy, Karasu-san. When I first picked you for MY Lt., it was because you were a man of action, not a man of reaction…"

The Lieutenant looked at his Captain as he spoke to him, dumbstruck that the Captain would speak so thoroughly about his decision and thoughts on the matter. Karasu knew very well that he had no right to be so upset, as the rules for Captaincy eligibility were clear and had been followed for millenia. He then, despite knowing he shouldn't have, he blurted out, though not quite jokingly enough for the words to not be honest.

"Well...I can't be your Lieutenant forever Captain. Everyone has to move on…"

Kyo nodded back to him, almost expecting that response from Karasu.

"That is true Karasu-san…There will come a time when you will be required to work outside your talents for the greater good. But it's not that time right now. Take pride in knowing you have much more to learn…much more to experience... and many more battles to win. Your time WILL come, I have no doubt about that."

Karasu pushed himself off the wall. He knew his Captain was right, and he knew he still had much to learn. He supposed his Captain's confidence in him would have to be enough for him now.

Cpt. Kyo looked down the road to see the 4th Division Cpt. and 5th Division Lt. approaching together in the distance. Sighing lightly, he spoke to his Lt. but did not turn his face to him, looking towards the forthcoming officers, his voice slightly somber.

"We all have to abide by the will of lady time…even though she is rarely fair…"


	10. Chapter 2i

**CHAPTER 2i:**

**The 7****th**** Division: Seretei Defense and Patrol (Gotei Police)**

"Well ...well, what about THAT candy shop then, Taro-kun?"

"No"

"nghh...well...well, what about the one farther up there? That one has ice cream, too. You like ice cream, right Taro-kun?

"No"

"nnnnhhhh...but...ghhh...nnnnnh... well...well...what about that pretty flower shop over there? This is a big party right, who wouldn't want pretty flowers at a party Taro-kun?

"No...and we aren't going to a 'party', we are going to a Captains meeting..."

"uhuuuhnngh...but...but...but Hiro-kun's hair would look SOOOO pretty with a big pink flower in it...come on...plplllease.."

Taro couldn't help but smile just a little imagining the Captain Commander's hair with a pink flower in it. He shook off the smile and looked down over his shoulder, responding a bit more sternly to his diminutive Lieutenant.

"No...and Megumi...It's 'Captain Commander, Hirokatsu Goto' or 'Captain Commander' or 'Captain Commander Goto', or at least "Goto-sama"...remember...you're a Lt., and you still need to work on your honorifics."

"bb..bbut..."

"Megumi..."

"Fine..."

Crossing her arms in a fake childish fit she responded under breath.

"...but I still think the CAPTAIN COMMANDER'd look awwwwful pretty..."

They were approaching the flower shop she had spoken of, the street busy with foot traffic and shopkeeper carts. Megumi's eyes widened as she looked over at the large bouquets and beautiful smelling flowers hanging out of the large windowed storefront.

"mmnnfghh...nnhghh...mmmmghghgnmmmm..."

She whimpered as they passed the store, and turned her head to the side cranking her neck back so she could see the flowers and colors as long as she could.

BAM!

"Unnngh!"

She fell to the ground as she wasn't looking where she was going. Then rolling off her back, she sat up and shook her head back and forth trying to make the little stars in her eyes disappear. That was when she realized she was sitting in a big dark shadow and as she looked up to see what was blotting out the sun, she soon realized it was her dear, and giant, 7th Division Captain, Taro Banzuke.

A retired grand champion Sumo wrestler from the Rukongai, his stature was considerably large, even within that sport. He still wore his 'chonmage' half-circle Sumo hairstyle, after being specially awarded the right to do so after his early retirement from the SSSWF (Soul Society Sumo Wrestling Federation). He was very large both in height and girth, his big muscles were hidden by his large mass and his long white Captain's coat did as much as it could to slim down the immensity of his build. A little black fan was tucked into his obi belt next to two swords, a large and long yellow hilted one which was next to a much smaller red hilted one which looked somewhat awkward in his belt.

Leaning down to her and opening his big arms, he grasped her little body and brought her up into the air, holding her with one outstretched arm in front of him so he could look her straight in the eyes. With his other arm, he wiped the dirt and grass off of her wooden Lt.'s badge on her back, which she wore tied there like a backpack.

His face was warm and jovial; his smile seeming to almost lighten his enormous size and mass.

"You know what I think, Megumi Mochimai?...I think YOU...would look very pretty with a pink flower in YOUR hair for the Captains meeting"

Megumi's eyes suddenly brightened and teared up with joy. Her returning smile was even larger than her Captain's and her tiny little voice meeped as she could hardly contain herself.

"YAYY!... I love...Love... LOVE my Taro-kun!"

Her little legs kicked back in forth with excitement and her white knuckled fingers grabbed on to Taro's big arm, squeezing it tight.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"AHEM... Megumi... "

He said clearing his voice in an almost playful-like stern voice.

"urhh…oh! I mean, Captain Taro...SIR"

She stiffly straightened up in his grasp, bringing one hand up to her head to salute.

Taro smiled again and set her down to the ground pulling from his sleeve pocket some coins for her, which she snatched up immediately. Squeaky with glee, she then ran off towards the flower shop.

Taro smiled as she went off, turning to look for a bench. Spotting one across the road, he moved over to it and sat, pulling out his little black fan to cool himself in the midday heat. After a while, Taro began to think of the old 8th Division Captain, and his unfortunate disease and death. Taro knew very well the pain of taking over a Captain's spot which had been occupied for so long, and he knew the new Captain of the 8th Division would at first struggle to find her way just as he did. There was no real preparation for it, and the only thing that got him through it were the other Captain's advice and knowing he had the confidence of the Captain Commander.

Taro smiled a bit to himself sitting on the bench, having made up his mind, he was going to make a point of it to go out of his way to help out the new 8th Division Captain as best he could.

Then out of the corner of his eye, Taro spotted the colors...ALL of them.

Skipping across the road to him was his little Megumi. Her curly orange hair and rosy cheeks were unmistakable and stuck out amongst the others who passed by. But, she hadn't bought just one flower; she had bought at least three dozen, many of which were littering the street behind her with their petals as she hurried across the street to see him. As she got closer he also noticed her chocolate covered mouth which was chomping away on something, and in her little hands she was grasping several paper covered candies.

Taro shook his head, stood up and placed his hands on his hips, looking at her sternly as she got closer.

"MEGUMI!...I said 'A' flower...not a dozen. And where did you get all that candy?...I didn't give you enough money for all of that..."

Clumsily stopping in front of him she reached out her little hand, offering the melted chocolate stained, paper covered hard candies to him.

"Here! I got these for you Taro-kun!"

She said with a big chocolaty smile.

Taro's furrowed brow slowly receded as he leaned down and took the messy hard candies into his hand, unpeeling one and popping it in his mouth. It was apricot flavored, and Taro smiled his trademark enormous smile at her. Megumi smiled a dimple filled smile back at him then began to prance down the street, chomping on her candy.

"Thank you Megumi...but...how did you?..."

He began to say as he started to follow her down the street, the apricot hard candy tucked in in the corner of his right cheek.

"I told the guy in the store I was with you and he said I could have whatever I wanted...he said he'd put it on yer 'credit'...or something like that...he kept showing me things to get and they even had candy and chocolate in the back!..."

She had already moved a short distance away and without looking back she raised her chocolate filled hand to wave him to follow her.

"Wait...Credit?...I don't have credit there..."

Taro said to himself as he turned his head around to see the smiling shopkeeper holding a long unrolled receipt which reached to the ground. The extremely happy old shopkeeper waved cheerfully towards Taro and Megumi as they moved away from his shop.

"Ughh...Megumi..."

Taro exhaled as he hurried to catch up with his little Lt., whom he was going to have a long discussion with about concerning the concept of 'credit'.


	11. Chapter 2j

**CHAPTER 2j:**

**The 13****th ****Division: Mortal World Patrol**

"Hai!..…right away Sir…of course Lt., Sir…"

The young 13th Division shinigami said quickly in response, as he bowed to Chosokabe Enomoto, the Lieutenant of the 13th Division. Chosokabe and his Captain were on their way out the 13th Division's main gate, on their way to the Captains meeting. The young shinigami was about to dash off when he caught the stern and steely eyes of the Lt., at which point the young shinigami's eyes widened greatly in response. He then stopped in place and bowed deeply to the Captain who was following just behind the Lt.

"I mean…umm…good day to you as well Captain Sir…I mean M'am."

After, no visual response from the Captain, the young shinigami quickly gazed over to the Lt. for confirmation that it was acceptable for him to go. Greeted with the Lt.'s rolling eyes and slight sigh, the young shinigami bowed once again, a bit lower, and then headed back to the 13th Division barracks.

Chosokabe looked back at his Captain, Izumi Samiru, her long black hair hanging down over her face and her large, bug-like black sunglasses glinting in the mid-afternoon sun. Her long sleeved white coat was tight around her black shinigami robes. Her twin zanpaktuo's, one black and one white, crossed at her waist poking their hilts and matching colored ribbons out from under her white coat. She had her arms crossed in front of her, keeping the coat close and tight to her body as she walked casually onward.

Chosokabe opened his mouth to speak, but was immediately interrupted by the soft, and slightly annoyed, voice of the Captain.

"Leave it alone Chosokabe… Sometimes YOU'RE not in the mood either…"

The Lt. smiled a bit at her, nodding and immediately understanding as they walked on. Chosokabe was a tall and strong Shinigami, his short black hair was combed neatly on his head and he wore the standard black shinigami robes with his wooden Lt.'s badge wrapped around his upper left arm and his zanpakuto snug in his belt. His dark features, handsome face, and strong jaw line made him out to look like an almost 'perfect' example of a male shinigami.

After quite a while of silent walking with the Lt. in the lead, the Captain stopped, unannounced, and moved under a shade tree along the side of the street. After realizing she had stopped, Chosokabe smiled softly to himself and turned back to join her.

"Ugh….this sun…"

The Captain annoyingly said to herself as she brushed her hair back from her face, removing her large sunglasses to show her very beautiful green eyes and pale young face. Her eyes squinted and slowly opened to peer at her Lt. in silhouette in front of her, before she looked away and then up through the leaves of the tree to the blue sky. She said nothing, seeming to just take a moment to relax in the shade, out of the sunlight.

Chosokabe knelt down, grabbing a small broken tree branch from the ground, then rose back up. Gently bending the wood back and forth to occupy his time, he calmly spoke in a low voice, as if he was already in the middle of a conversation with the Captain;

"You know, Captain…About who is going to be named Captain of the 8th Division…"

The Captain continued to look up through the leaves, her eyes closing for short moments of time as she stood silent. The Lt. continued on;

"I mean…as far as I know, there are only a few people even eligible. There's the 5th Division Lt. who ran the 5th for a while before Akito-sama came in from the Kido Corps. Then there's the 8th Division Lt., obviously, and she's been running the 8th for a while anyway, so it wouldn't be a big surprise if she was named Captain. And there WAS the 3rd Division Lt., but even if she had not passed away so tragically, I doubt the 3rd Division Captain would have let her go anyway. Other than that...I guess I've heard that the 10th and 11th Division Lt.'s both have been working on their Bankai's, but I don't think either of them have had them very long, if at all to be honest. So, really it just comes down to the 5th or 8th Division Lt.'s, Right, Captain?"

Izumi closed her eyes looking up to the blue sky between the leaves of the tree, she felt the gentle warmth of the sun fall on her eyelids as the voice of her Lt. going on and on about who could be Captain, seemed to fade away. As Chosokabe finished, Isumi turned to look back at him, squinting just a bit as she opened her eyes. She shook her head very slightly, but not out of anger, more out of annoyance at her Lt. for having been endlessly trying to get her to reveal who the new Captain was, even though he knew she could not tell him.

The Captain put her big black sunglasses back on, swept her hair back, then let it fall back over her face. She then began to walk on again, out from under the shade tree, passing Chosokabe without even a sideways glance. The Lt. grinned a bit to himself, knowing the meaning of her silence all too well. Then he snapped the little branch he was bending and tossed it over his shoulder as he moved to now follow his Captain to the 8th Division Captain announcement.


	12. Chapter 2k

**CHAPTER 2k:**

**The 1st Division: Gotei Command**

Nozomi Takeuchi approached the Captain Commander's office door silently. She stopped in front of the door and pushed her long blonde hair back behind her ears. Then she carefully straightened her white diagonal sash with the 1st Division's insignia embroidered on it which served as her Lt.'s badge. Her kind eyes sparkled slightly in the light of the dim lantern which hung next to the wooden sliding door. She took a deep but calm breath in and was extending her hand to the door when a voice spoke out from a nearby shadow outside the lantern's illumination in the darkened interior hallway. Her eyes widened and looked over as her hand immediately went to her sword hilt and she stepped back with her back leg in a defensive stance.

"Hey gorgeous, 'bout time for that Captains meeting, eh?"

The voice was that of, Eiji Ito, the 3rd Seat of the 1st Division. He rose from his seated position and stepped out of the shadows, placing his little black and silver pen and black and white notebook in his chest pocket as he did so. He wore normal black shinigami robes with a rather wide white belt which had tucked in it many papers, notebooks, pencils and pens of all sizes, everything it seemed, except for a sword. He took a few steps closer to her and smiled, bowing his head to her slightly, almost sarcastically.

Her eyes stayed wide for a moment, as some frustration and a touch of anger crept in, replacing some of the earlier surprise.

"3rd Seat Ito!"

She said rather loudly, a combination of a reprimand and embarrassment in her tone as she relaxed her stance and placed her right hand on her hip and left hand pointing at Eiji.

"Shouldn't you be with the new 8th Division Captain right now? You are supposed to be with her until she is called in to the Captains meeting."

She said intensely but lowering the volume as she suddenly remembered her proximity to the Captain Commander's office.

"Eh…She'll be fine by herself for a little bit, with all the meetings and her test, she hasn't had any time to herself. Plus, I kinda wanted to let her put on her Captain's coat for the first time in private ya know? I'll go meet up with her soon, ok?"

Eiji said a bit more casually than Nozomi would have liked.

Nozomi's eyes softened as she began to realize that what Eiji said was actually very thoughtful. Her eyes then quickly became steely again.

"Well…orders are orders 3rd Seat… If the Captain Commander wanted her to be left alone, he'd have ordered it…Now get going!"

She said in a soft but still direct voice pointing off down the hallway.

Eiji's eyes were casual and playful for a moment during her words, as if they were recreating these types of discussions from the past, but then in a flash, his eyes turned very wide, as he straightened up in his place and bowed very deeply in front of her, before backing off slowly, then turning and rushing away down the corridor to follow his orders, speaking as he went.

"yes...YES…sSir…ma'am...I mean ma'am…Yes, right away Ma'am!... My apologies."

Nozomi's brow quirked at Eiji's sudden change in attitude.

"_Eiji has never followed my orders so quickly…and NEVER apologized for not following them."_

She thought to herself taking a deep breath in and turning in her place.

As she spun around she bumped right into the Captain Commander, Hirokatsu Goto's, chest. Her face scrunched up as her nose pressed in against his black Shinigami robes and white Captain's haori. She looked up timidly to see his face looking down at hers, causing her to immediately go stark red in embarrassment.

She backed up immediately and bowed her head to the Captain Commander.

"My deepest apologies, Sir…I am so so sorry, sir..."

She opened her eyes slowly to look at him, squinting them open at first in hopes of not seeing him upset. Instead, she found the demure and calm face of the Captain Commander which had just a hint of a smile on it, a smile which probably no one else in the entire Gotei would be able to tell was a smile, but one she had learned in her years of close service to him.

Her face still red, she bowed even deeper before straightening up to look at him, though she still had a hard time making eye contact without her cheeks reddening again, which one would think was easy since his eyes were closed shut almost all of the time and even when open were hidden behind his long thick eyebrows. She tried to look at everything BUT his eyes in fact: his graying black hair tied back in a topknot, his long dark mustache, his curled up little chin beard which matched his sideburns in their curly shape. Anything but those pale blue eyes of his.

His voice responded and was soft, but was not hard to hear, his words short but not left wanting for more.

"Nozomi-kun…don't be so hard on Eiji-san. His intentions were thoughtful and correct…Even I overlook some things in my orders from time to time Lt."

One of his eyes opened just a crack wider for a moment to catch her eyes in a playful way, another expression, if still a rare one, which she had grown to recognize from her Captain Commander.

As Hirokatsu finished, he moved slowly passed her and down the long darkened corridor, holding his closed umbrella behind his back horizontally with both his hands and over his long over-sized white Captain's coat which swayed gently in concert with his long mustache and eyebrows as he moved.

A few steps down the corridor he spoke to her, his voice still soft but clear, and if Nozomi didn't know him better she would have swore she almost heard a bit of playful sarcasm in it.

"Now shouldn't we be going Lt? I think we of all people shouldn't be late…wouldn't you agree?"

He paused for the briefest of moments.

"…And what was it exactly that you were coming to see me for anyways?"

He said as he began to move past her.

"_Ugh…that's exactly what I WAS coming to tell YOU... Stupid, Eiji!"_

She thought to herself as she quickly collected herself from her momentary daze to hustle and take her customary position near the Captain Commander, slightly beside and slightly behind him.

"Of course sir...and it was nothing sir…"

She spoke very softly in a slightly exasperated tone to him, as she accompanied him to the 8th Division Captains announcement meeting.


	13. Chapter 2l

**CHAPTER 2l:**

**The 8****th**** Division: Gotei Reinforcement and Resupply**

The Acting-Captain/Lieutenant of the 8th Division, Amaya Ota, sat on a lonely wooden chair looking at the white Captain's coat hung on the bare wall in front of her. Hours earlier, the Captain Commander had personally hung it in this small preparatory room within the 1st Division complex. Earlier that day, he had given her his final ruling. She would be named the new Captain of the 8th Division, and that such official announcement would be made today in a special Captains meeting.

She had not even touched the coat yet. And now, as the Captains meeting was only minutes away, she still hesitated slightly as she rose from her chair and walked over to it. Her hand rose up and glided her hands down the sleeves and back up its chest. It was much softer than she thought it would be.

It was not the first time she had touched a Captain's coat, as she had been Lt. to the 8th Division for many years and had helped dress her now deceased Captain on many occasions, especially towards the end of his life when his condition was so poor.

A tear came slowly to her eye as she clasped the white coat in her hands, her thoughts drifting off to her dear Captain. She slowly leaned her head into the white coat, resting it on the wall behind as she wept silently for him.

Then her thoughts drifted back to Hirokatsu's parting words from before. She had grown especially fond of Hirokatsu during her time at the Academy almost a hundred years earlier, and his words had a way of sticking with her then just as they did now.

"_You are not Kaito-san…I did not promote his replacement, only his successor"_

At the time, she had nodded politely, as she had heard his words and knew them to be wise. However, she had not truly believed them as he said them. But as the time went on and she had sat in that little room longer and longer, looking at that white coat, his words kept resounding in her mind over and over as she waited. And with each passing minute, the words dug deeper and deeper into her psyche, and little by little she had started to understand and believe them.

Indeed, she could not BE Kaito-sama, and certainly, she did not NEED to be Kaito-sama, and of course Hirokatsu had not promoted her to be as such. Hirokatsu had promoted HER, and SHE had passed the tests, and SHE had received the Captaincy recommendations from the other Captains, and SHE had spent the long hours of doing the job for the last ten years as her Captain slowly wasted away.

She had always admired the Captain Commander, from her childhood when he would visit her Noble family's home from time to time, to when she took all of his classes in the Academy, even to when she stayed and enrolled in an extra year in the Academy in hopes of being placed in the 1st Division upon graduation. But earlier, when he had said those words to her, he seemed to have said them to her less as her Captain Commander and more as her peer. Promotion was never given in the Gotei, only earned, and she had EARNED not only this position, but also Hirokatsu's respect through her years of service and hard work.

She grasped the coat a bit tighter, and moved her head away from it. Her eyes were still slightly damp, but now filled with a hearty resolve. She took the coat from the wall peg and slipped it on over her shoulders, then pulled her dark hair out from underneath so it could lie over her shoulders and onto her back. Feeling its weight on her shoulders, she tugged her inner robe sleeves through the jacket's sleeves comfortably and then straightened the coat so it lay nicely over the zanpaktuo on her hip.

Amaya had wanted to see how she looked, but she noticed there were no mirrors in the room, which she thought was odd as this was a special room near the Captain's meeting area made specifically for those who would be preparing for an official visit. In fact, all that was in the room was the peg on the wall, a straight backed wooden chair facing it, and a small table near the door with a pitcher of water and single glass next on top of a white linen towel.

Feeling thirsty, Amaya made her way to the table for some water. She took the pitcher and was reaching for the glass when the sliding door opened abruptly. Amaya, greatly surprised, lost her balance, shaking the pitcher in her hand sloshing water over its edges onto the floor. Amaya grimaced as she saw the mess, but exhaled calmly as she saw she had not gotten any on her new white coat. Then her grimace turned to the doorway.

Standing there were two individuals. One, her 3rd Seat and the Acting-Lieutenant of the 8th Division, Ryouichi Kono, was a good, young, and trusted Shinigami whom she had come to depend on much more and more in the last five years or so as their Captain was slowly dying. The other, with his hand on the door, was Eiji Ito, 3rd Seat of the 1st Division, whom she had seen earlier with the Captain Commander. Eiji was a rather famous and well known artist in the Seretei, as well as being a trusted subordinate of the Captain Commander, which were both no simple accomplishments. Ryouichi was already apologizing as her gaze came up to greet him, sweat beading up on his brow under his short messy black hair. His head slumped down in a bow to her, as he blurted out.

"I'm so sorry Vice-Captain Amaya….er…I mean… Captain Amaya… mmmhhr.. ehh… umm…He just barged right in past me…"

He pointed at Eiji Ito sharply.

Eiji did not look very apologetic, though he was sweating more than Ryouichi. He bowed his head to Amaya respectfully and spoke out assertively as he straightened up. His words were plain but sincere though seeming a little as if they were practiced.

"I am here to be by your side from now until you enter the Captains meeting sir…I should have been here earlier, i humbly apologize for my absence."

He bowed again deeply as he stepped into the room and stood by the door with his arms crossed. Ryouichi followed, closing the door behind them and then moving to the other side of the door, his hands clasped in front of him.

The aloof and popular 3rd Seat, Eiji Ito, was rarely this proper, Amaya thought to herself. Obviously he had been reprimanded for something, his rigid tone and sweating probably meaning it came from Hirokatsu himself. Amaya thought thinking back to her time in the Academy when she had witnessed the Captain Commander's 'passionate' way he reprimanded students who fell out of line.

Her grimace subsided as she looked upon the two young Shinigami. Both were very capable officers and gifted young Shinigami. Looking first to Ryouichi, Amaya spoke succinctly.

"It's fine Ryouichi-san…He was just doing his job. Sometimes, the Captain Commander can be rather... 'clear' about his orders…"

Looking over to Eiji as she continued, the faintest bit of a grin escaping her lips.

"…Right, Eiji-san?"

He nodded to her quickly in response, causing a bead of sweat from a lock of the black hair that covered half of his face to slide down his forehead and come to an uncomfortable stop right on the tip of his nose. He tried to blow a quick puff of air up from his lips to get it to fall off, but it stayed nonetheless. He tried not to think about it and stood up straight as he felt the New Captain's eyes on him.

Amaya gently set the pitcher down on the small table and grabbed the folded white linen towel. Looking down at the mess of water on the floor, she then moved in front of Eiji. Looking at him, she paused for a moment, then smiled and dab his nose and forehead with the towel gently before speaking with a slight grin.

"It is fine Eiji-san…next time, however…Do knock…this is a changing room, no?"

Eiji's momentary relief from the bead of sweat was immediately replaced by an even more uncomfortable feeling, as his face turned bright red.

Ryouichi smiled and almost chuckled from his spot in the doorway, but when the attractive Captain's gaze moved from Eiji and landed squarely on him, he could not help but blush in embarrassment as well.

Amaya then knelt down and dabbed up the water from the floor, returning the towel to its place back on the small table when she was finished. Standing up, she readjusted her new white coat and looked around the rest of the empty room, taking a few moments before speaking.

"So…now what?...When does this thing start anyways?"

Eiji reached into his wide obi belt pulling out a silver watch on a chain.

His eyes widened, and jumping a little in place in shock he quickly bowed to Amaya and moved to slide open the door, he motioned impatiently with his left hand for her and Ryouichi to follow.

"Wha!...Come on, come on…It's time to go!"

Amaya's eyes darted open at first, thinking she may be late, causing a tiny anxious lump to form in her stomach. She was actually feeling nervous. She hadn't even thought about that part of this yet. She had been focusing so much on passing the tests and whether she was even worthy of the promotion or not, she hadn't even thought of walking into that special room and see the looks on the faces of all the other Captains.

She took a breath in to calm herself and straightened her coat and walked forwards towards Eiji and the door.

Ryouichi looked on as his Captain approached and suddenly his eyes popped wide open. He ran up to her before she got to the door. Eiji looked on concerned as he checked his timepiece again.

"Wait a minute Sir!..."

Amaya furrowed her brow as Ryouichi unexpectedly came in front of her and reached his hand out to her obi belt. Amaya's looked on perplexed, tensing up her shoulders, as she had no idea what Ryouichi was doing. But as fast as she had tensed herself up, she relaxed herself and her shoulders softened down. A calm sense of relief and appreciation washed over her face as she looked at her 3rd Seat, Ryouichi.

Ryouichi gently removed her old wooden Lieutenant's badge from the right side of her belt. She had worn it for so many years, she had forgotten it was even there. As he unwrap its bindings and took it off, he stepped back and extended it to her, bowing his head and speaking lightly.

"Sorry sir…I just didn't want you to forget…"

Amaya blushed very lightly at his compassion as she extended her hand to her 3rd Seat's shoulder, waving off the Lieutenant's badge he offered as she did.

"That badge isn't mine any more, Ryouichi-san,…Why don't you hang onto it for a while?"

She smiled to him as she squeezed his shoulder lightly.

Amaya released his shoulder and stepped passed him, towards the open door and the tapping foot of Eiji.

"Yes sir… Captain Ota"

This time, Ryouichi said the new title with no hesitation.


	14. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3:**

**A New Captain**

A set of white shoes silently stepped through a disheveled looking Senkeimon gate in the rural Southern Rukongai sky. Followed closely by two others, a large and white cloaked horned figure stood with the other two smaller white figures, just below the clouds, looking down upon a small farm town, its inhabitants entirely unaware as to what was about to happen to them.

"Heh he he he he…"

The first and largest of the three cackled and snarled to the others, while the other two smiled devilish grins at one another from behind their master.

* * *

><p>"As one falls…another rises to succeed them..."<p>

"…That is the way of the Gotei...and because we not only stand sure in the face of this fact, but also embrace the inevitable shuffle, do we truly show our solidarity and wisdom, as without it, we could never advance in our abilities to protect and serve all Souls..."

The Captain Commander's strong and sure words resounded loudly in the dimly lit, long and high ceiling-ed Captain's meeting room and in the ears of all gathered therein. The eleven Captains each "stood" (the 12th Div. Cpt. sitting in her wheelchair) in two rows facing each other, their heads up, while their Lt.'s or 3rd Seat's each stood a few steps behind each of them, their heads tilted downward. Other than the new 8th Cpt.'s vacancy, only the pregnant 5th Div. Cpt., Akito Usa, and 4th Div. Lt., Hitomi Sosen, were not present, as the former's needs were being seen to by the latter in the 4th Div. Barracks. The 5th Div. Lt., Jo Masatane, stood in his Captain's empty spot, though a step back from the two "Captain's" lines. The 8th Div. 3rd Seat, Ryouichi Kono, stood looking uncomfortable in the back line behind the 8th Cpt.'s empty spot. He hardly could look in anyone's eyes when he had come in earlier, a few minutes ahead of the new Captain. He had never been in this room, let alone been invited in as an officer of the highest order.

The Captain Commander, Captain of the 1st Div., Hirokatsu Goto, sat up tall in a high backed wooden chair at the head of the two lines of Captains. His closed umbrella gently rested vertically against his right leg. His Lt., the Lt. Commander of the Gotei, Nozomi Takeuchi, stood slightly behind his chair to his left, her head tilted down and her long straight blonde hair draping over her diagonal white sash.

"...Today we recognize this in earnest as we promote a new Captain of the 8th Division. Over the last two days the candidate has taken and passed multiple proficiency tests administered by myself and two other Captains...and after much thought and consideration, I have come to the conclusion that the candidate is indeed acceptable for the promotion to Captain of the Gotei."

Hirokatsu then reached for and tapped his umbrella on the floor two times.

"TAP...TAP"

The large double-doors to the room, directly down the center aisle of Captains and opposite the Captain Commander's seat, opened rather abruptly, letting in a shower of sparkling sunlight to accompany the loud creak of the door hinges. The 3rd Seat of the 1st Div., Eiji Ito's silhouette was seen pushing both the doors open and then quickly retreating out of sight. Left in the doorway was the outline of a woman in a haori jacket, her chest length black hair whipping in the breeze.

"Officers of the Gotei!"

"I present you the new Captain of the 8th Division: Amaya Ota."

Hirokatsu's voice was raised slightly as his hand rose to welcome her in. His old eyes were barely only open but a little pride could be seen peeking out from behind his long graying eyebrows and mustache as the attention of the other officers' gaze was looking towards the new Captain.

The silhouetted form of Amaya Ota came through the doorway, the dim candle lights illuminating her as she walked forward. Her head and eyes looked forward as she emerged from the shadows and she walked in with as much pride as she could muster in this overwhelmingly humble moment. Her hair draped neatly across her brow and tucked in behind her ears on each side of her youthful and pretty face.

The eyes of each person present looked on to the new Captain with curiosity as she came down the aisle. Stepping almost as if she were on a tightrope, she finally took her assigned place in the Captain's row, between the older dark skinned 6th Div. Captain and the handsome 10th Div. Captain and staring up across the aisle she saw the large 7th Div. Captain.

The 2nd Div. Cpt., Cho Iwaza, was the only one who looked on in some disdain. Her well-known dislike towards all the noble families was as ever-present as ever in her furrowed brow. The colorful and elaborately painted 9th Div. Cpt., Sukeroku Omata, also seemed to show some distaste, however it seemed more a disapproval of her fashion choices, as he looked her up and down. The other Captains either hid their thoughts and feelings through closed or slitted eyes, as did the 10th Cpt. Kyo Saemonsaburou and 3rd Cpt. Jun Shimabukuro, or showed open exuberance through warm smiles like that of the 7th, 4th and 6th Div. Cpt.'s Taro Banzuke, Mamoru Mushanokouji, and Gonnosuke Kan. The bouncing giddiness of the diminutive 12th Div. Cpt., Aya Omata, as usual, stood out from the crowd and matched the excitement of the happy-faced little 7th Div. Lt., Megumi Mochimai, who tugged fiercely on the robes of her enormous Sumo Captain.

As she rolled forward a little and poked her head out from the line to look down the row towards the new Captain, the 12th Div. Cpt., Aya Omata, blurted out pointing at Amaya Ota with her forefinger.

"I love it!...Her name's almost the same as mine!"

She then pointed at herself with her thumb at her chest.

"...I hope no one gets us confused!"

Her wide smile green pigtails bounced around as she spoke.

The 12th Div. Lt., Rinshan Tachibana, shook his head in embarrassment at his Captain's inability to stay professional for more than five minutes.

Amaya leaned forward just a bit and peered down the line at the young 12th Div. Captain sitting in her wheelchair. She smiled with a slight blush and bowed her head as she did not want to seem unkind on her first day, no matter the impetus.

"HA!"

The 11th Div. Cpt., Taka Motochika, couldn't help but chuckle as she poked the 13th Div. Cpt., Izumi Samiru, who was next to her, in the ribs with her elbow. Izumi scowled in response, squinting her eyes and wincing a bit from behind the long dark hair that hung over her face. The 11th Div. Cpt.'s playful jabs were never as light as she thought they were.

"UGhh!...Yer no fun Izzy-chan..."

Taka said rather mockingly, folding her hands and furrowing her forehead as she looked down the aisle towards the Captain Commander, while the large 11th Div. Lt., Namigoro Tsuyoushi, grunted and grinned clacking his hoof against the floor as his bull's tail whipped around. Maintaining his professional stance, the 13th Div. Lt., Chosokabe Enomoto, glared at the minotaur Namigoro. The Cpt. Commander then tapped his umbrella once again on the floor, and the focus returned to him as he spoke.

"Captain Amaya Ota, if you have anything prepared to say...you may do so now."

Hirokatsu then nodded to her respectfully, motioning for her to begin.

Amaya froze in place. She didn't know she was going to have to say anything. Perhaps that was why she was given all that time to prepare.

_"Ugh...I'm an idiot!...Why else would i be given all that time to myself...ugh.."_

She screamed inside her head to herself. Then, realizing she had no choice but to say SOMETHING, she inched forward, taking a few small steps into the center aisle, turning to look first at the Cpt. Commander, then to all the others present.

Bowing her head politely she swallowed a bit and took a breath in. On the outside, she seemed calm enough, but on the inside, her heart was racing, and her mind was going even faster, trying to think of something poignant to say. First impressions were of the utmost importance, and she didn't want to screw this up.

The 3rd Div. Cpt.'s eyes opened rather abruptly from their somber closed position as she positioned herself in the center of the two Captain rows, his unshaven face looked down the aisle towards her as his large white wings tucked in behind him, a few stray white feathers lay at his feet. Then his gaze shifted quickly to look at the Cpt. Commander, whose eyes and face were hidden from view under his long eyebrows and mustache.

Amaya opened her mouth, hoping something wise would come out as she fought with all her might to keep from blushing. She clasped her hands together and was just about to speak when the large double doors burst open with a loud crash!

"WAAAMMM!"

Instinctively, almost all of the Captain's and Lt.'s hands reached for their sword hilts, preparing for the worst. Those that did not move for their weapon stood in shock or puzzlement. This included the new 8th Div. Cpt., Amaya, who looked befuddled towards the door. Only the grimacing 3rd Div. Cpt. and the Cpt. Commander stood unwavering in the commotion. Hirokatsu raised his hand to stop his Lt., Nozomi, who had stepped forward and just in front of his chair, reaching for her sword, in protection of her Captain.

Flying through the doorway first was the flailing body of the 1st Div. 3rd Seat, Eiji, who was toppling head over heel in his unsuccessful attempt to stop the intruder by standing in the way. Following the tumbling 3rd Seat, was another Shinigami who dashed through the door running at top speed, screeching to a halt just in front of where the new 8th Captain stood. Surprised, Amaya looked down in confusion, since bursting into a Captains meeting could land even those with the most prestige and clout a long stay in the 7th Div.'s holding cells.

She looked down to see a young male Shinigami whose robes were tattered and ripped. Blood covered and dripped down his left chest and and down his leg from a deep wound somewhere under his torn black robes. Dirt and deep bruises covered most of the rest of his face and body. A large welt over his right eye was forming quickly, and in only minutes he would undoubtedly not be able to see out of it. His zanpaktuo was sheathed, though the wrapping around its hilt was fraying greatly leaving almost nothing while the tsuba cross guard and sheath were bent severely and looked to be charred and even a little melted.

As the man came to a halt, he immediately sank to his knees in exhaustion, fell forward, and bowed his head, touching his forehead to the floor right at the feet of the 8th Div. Cpt. who had no idea what to do in this situation She didn't know this Shinigami and had no idea what was going on, or why he chose to stop in front of her.

She opened her mouth, still trying so hard to not lose her composure in front of her new peers, she raised her eyebrows and was about to speak to the young Shinigami, when the rarely heard raised voice of the 6th Div. Cpt., Gonnosuke Kan, was heard booming off the walls of the room.

"19th Seat, Saito-san! What is the meaning of this?"

The Shinigami, his head still resting on the floor, sweat and blood pooling and mixing near the spot, responded back quickly, yet his voice was garbled and straining.

"Captain...Captains...I am so sorry...I...I had no choice...There were no warnings….no alarms…the...The communications equipment wouldn't work...they all just ...e..Even the Hell Butterflies sir...I've never seen them like that...they wouldn't even..."

Interrupting him again, Gonnosuke, his Captain, raised his voice again while stepping forward out of his spot into the aisle. The especially concerned eyes of the 3rd and 12th Div. Cpt.'s looked on while the colorful 9th Div.'s Cpt. rolled his eyes at the scene while his beautiful Lt. stared daggers into the back of his head as she listened.

"Spit it out Officer!"

The Shinigami raised his head instantly, his dirtied and bloodied face straining to speak clearly. He then blurted out with surprising volume and conviction to his tone.

"ARRANCAR HAVE INVADED THE RUKONGAI!"


End file.
